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Friday, January 28, 2011

Ah, exams are all over and life may resume as normal. The library is back to it's usual empty self and everybody can finally crawl out their rooms to socialise, guilt free. I found out today that I've got a place to study at Amherst Massachusetts for a semester next year which I am very, very excited about. Just as long as I don't cock up my grades hopefully this time next year I'll be stateside with election fever in the air and lots of roadtrip opportunities with various friends also on exchange in Missouri, California and Tennessee.

To celebrate the good news I headed to Topshop and picked up some pretty underwear as well as this top. Because of course my wardrobe is lacking where brown is concerned.. (sort of embarrassing queueing up to buy this when I already resembled a human Werthers Original in brown suede trousers and a beige jumper.)

Here's a little Cher flavoured summat summat on this Saturday afternoon. The song is naturally a classic gem but also take note of her matching striped jumper-trouser combo. One of the looks from the Marc by Marc Jacobs Winter 2010 collection comes to mind. When there are skirt suits and short suits and suit suits, what's not to love about the concept of a jumper suit?Also her hair is bloody grand. I wish I had the ability to wear a fringe like that, I always feel like fringes take too much maintance than I can be bothered with but if there is any hair to advocate the brilliance of fringes, I'd say it's Cher circa 1965.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Found this brilliant editorial with Stella Tennant from US Harpers Bazaar, April 1999.

I love Tennant's simple hair (while I'm painstakingly growing my fringe out again and returning to my centre parting this makes me think it's worth the effort) the mid-length day coats, hum-drum window leaning boredom and her bucket hat. Still not able to let go of the 'gone fishing' headgear look..
Note also the copy underneath the images ('every woman should experience the mysterious allure of a mac') and the 'the quickest route to looking chic is to keep it really simple' if ever there is a style philosophy to follow, I'd say that's it right there.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Went and checked my postbox earlier to find three packages were waiting for me, all things I'd completely forgotten I'd ordered over the holidays. This semester I'm going to make a bit of an effort to curb my spending on silly little things that add up. Mainly bus fare and the take away coffees I usually buy to perk me up just before a lecture. So, ta-da, a insulated travel mug! Along with a tin of Caran D'ache pens I ordered from Amazon the other day when suddenly overcome by the urge to...colour in? My Granny used to buy me sets of Caran D'ache when I was little-I remember spending so long labouring over a picture of an underwater scene of spotted octopus and stripey fish and bright coral each day after school for a Blue Peter competition and then missing the deadline when I liked it too much to want to send it in. Maybe it's just fond memories like this but in a sad way I'm kind of feeling just 'drawing' at the moment. Maybe something to do with catching up with the genius Isabel's Animal Talk and missing having a pen between my fingers to draw rather than write with. On the subject of Isabel, she never fails to amaze me, she creates such cool little sculptures. Supersized Geodes or tongue-in-cheek 'cake landscapes' that are painted in colours so knee-weakeningly pretty that you're torn between wanting to pop them in your mouth and chew them like bubblegum or crawl into them and never come out.

And something I was very excited about is this copy of US Vogue from 1961. With mini reviews for Breakfast at Tiffanys and West Side Story and an awful lot of adverts for mink coats and stockings and lipstick and ford cars having a leaf through it felt very Betty Draper. It was sent to me by Leanne who is working for Sky Atlantic, which I've been really excited about launching after reading about it in various 'What to look out for in 2011' magazine features over Christmas. There is always something about January and fantastic television schedules that makes me feel all excited and compelled to confine myself indoors every night with a hot water bottle and strict viewing plans. As an American Studies student and general US cultcha nerd I'm especially excited for the launch of a channel with so many stateside exports. Treme (I couchsurfed with a guy whose Dad was working on it when I was in Venice Beach), Boardwalk Empire, new Mad Men (don't get me started..) yadda yadda.

All in all a bit of a gushy post. And here is a nice chilled song to remedy the overexcited tone..

Friday, January 14, 2011

Ah, back in the Manchester groove. Arrived back 'home' (is it home? I never quite know what to call it..) yesterday and it feels so good to be reunited with everybody, despite the impending exams hanging over our heads and the fact we're all unable to avoid 'oh, I haven't done any revision' type conversations which only serve to distress and egg each other on in a bad way. Today I'm wearing my new Benetton jumper which I bought from eBay the other week for a steal of 99p. Now less chat and more work. Off to the library I go..

And this camp spectacle of a performance by The Rubettes. I love how much energy they have and how mismatched it is against the crowd's obligatory steady clapping. If I ever end up getting married, or just throwing a huge birthday party I may find a tribute act to recreate this just for the hilarity. But first need to sort out George Michael singing Careless Whisper to me on a table for my 21st. I like the idea of an awkward intimate performance for each milestone birthday..

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Ah, January. That grey month when bitter fingers and continuous rainfall are still the norm, and because it feels like Spring may never come warm cosy clothes to get you through the grey days are paramount. It's raining cats and dogs outside and impending exams are looming over my head-this is my perfect 'sling on some layers and run to the library' outfit. See pockets on Uniqlo duffle which are perfect for burying fingers and biros and a bag of nuts for snack time.

What I wore today: new asos top (which, factlovers, on the website was neither as obscenely short nor see-through as in real life. hey ho, I quite like a little sheerness every now and then) and my faithful topshop cords (let's face it, I never take them off.)

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

I don't think it's possible to watch this video for Man About Town magazine without a grin gradually spreading across your face. 'It's All In The Game' by Ricky Nelson is the kind of musical accompanyment that makes me wish I'd grown up in 1950s small-town america so I could spend the weekends dancing The Twist or sitting with my legs dangling from a pier with a cold coke in my hand and frilly socks on my feet, and generally be like one of the teenagers in The Last Picture Show or Footloose. Thanks to Danielle (the cleverclogs behind the Vice Love Blogging videos) who posted this on facebook.

PS, the video makes for a good game of 'spot the difference'. I was so mesmerised by the skateboard I didn't notice until the second or third view!..

Just so you know, you can now follow Discotheque Confusion on Facebook. Links to new posts will appear on your feed as soon as I update as well as the odd music recommendation (today is Elle by Sebastian Tellier) and links to anything else that seems of interest (blogs, nice jumpers 'off internet', good articles, maybe even a crap joke..) I've finally jumped on the bandwagon after dithering over it for a while, and followed suit after Disney Roller Girl and Coco's Tea Party.

Do comment and give your input, it's another place to have a good old community gush over the things all the things occupying our brains. (Thats aesthetics/arts wise as oppossed to agony aunt territory..)

Hmm, bare chests and bare legs. It's not a very seasonally appropriate moodboard is it? Looking through some photos from Summer 2010 earlier I found myself pining after the sunshine so I can wander with my legs out, let the sun warm my hair a nice strawberry blonde and sleep with warm air coming through the window. Very premature wishes indeed given we're two weeks into January but I'm assuming they are the sublimal reasons behind these spring geared pictures. Clearly haven't quite let go of the winter though; this picture from The Sartorialist has heightened my need for some nice thick marl socks to wear with my clogs which I shall dig out of my cupboard before I return back to Manchester this week.

Tonight I've listened to Low by David Bowie about 4 times continuously. He is probably my favourite musician but because of his huge back catalogue of work there are still so many albums for me to discover. I grew up on Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory, but I've seriously fallen in love with Low, too. Completely different from the former two but very much suited to my current mood. Produced by Brian Eno and with a very Tilda Swinton-esque front cover.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Tapping into the same idea behind blogs like Style Like U, 'I Saw You Standing' over at Platform Magazine takes short films of people on the street documenting their outfits and showing us the kind of details-rings on fingers, their make-up, colour of shoelaces- that may otherwise go unnoticed in a single photograph. I really like this idea, it epitomises what I love about street style and the sense of personality that comes with it and I'd love to see more short videos like this. My typically British nature makes me a little embarrassed on the behalf of the poor souls though, having to stand completely still and slightly awkwardly while the camera zooms in on their faces. This is completely me projecting my own fears!

Some Monday afternoon reading for you. (a metaphorical blogging biscuit break if you will, when the shock to the system of being back to work after the weekend has sunk in..) As part of her latest Opening Ceremony collaboration Chloe Sevigny has designed 6 staple dresses, each available in 5 different prints and each named after one of her best girlfriends. What a lovely little touch. My favourite, since seeing the preview of the collection back in May has been the Lesley (quite appropriate given my love for it's namesake Lesley Arfin) a flattering number with two scallop-edged breast pockets which in my eyes would be a perfect fit for a dusty Western female protagonist (think something along the lines of Sissey Spacek in Badlands). You can choose from gingham, leopard, polkadot, paisley, or a small floral. Nothing like the concept of pick and mix to pull my heartstrings and open my wallet.

Opening Ceremony have interviewed Lesley for their blog, and have asked her New Years resolutions and if which items she'd steal from Chloe Sevigny's closet given the chance.. Read it here.

EDIT: To those of you that have asked, the collection is out on January 15th.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Alice of Cool and Beauty represents my very favourite sort of fashion blogger-the kind that is uniquely stylish without looking overtly glossy or try-hard, which is certainly an aesthetic after my own heart mostly born from a need to always feel comfortable in what I'm wearing and probably also because i'm too lazy to cross that line from scruffy to polished. That's not to say that taking a laid back approach to personal style means sacrificing a look that is well put together, because Alice (along with my other favourite bloggers, notably Miss Woo of Cheapskate Chic) always wears something that achieves the right balance between looking nonchalantly thrown together and having an interesting thought process behind it- think of Alice's Tommy Hilfiger tops that are reminiscent of old 90s editorials from The Face or items bought at Gap Kids.

I always appreciate people who take an interest in what's going on trends wise but who are always essentially themselves and pick and choose what they wear to suit a style that is very much their own. Frugality is also very attractive, particularly as I myself don't have the large disposable income I once had and take an interest in how people can dress well on the cheap without resorting to the kind of clothes that will fall apart after one wash. I think that when you have less (or choose to spend less) on clothes it requires a little extra imagination and I'm always interested to see the result of this.

But I digress, I nosily asked Alice the following questions and she very kindly obliged in sharing her go-to blogs (sometimes a hard secret to share, i know..) and how much she spends on clothes..

What’s on your bedside table?

A TV, a lamp, a scrunchie and a Gameboy.

Some pieces of clothing you have on current rotation?

A beige polo neck with ELLE logo in white on the sleeves, a checked mohair cardigan, Poundland Hiking socks and Strawberry Vaseline.

Which are your go-to blogs?

My sister's blog is on of my favourites mollymathilde.blogspot.com. I also visit lettyschmiterlow.blogspot.com, louisebenson.blogspot.com, theosion.blogspot.com, thebibelle.blogspot.com, visual-data.net, Haw-lin.com and thepop.com.

If you could work for anyone in the fashion industry who would it be?

Hannah Macgibbon. I couldn't really find fault in anything she's produced at Chloe, usually when I look at a show there's at least three looks which make me think "Ew where did that come from" but not with Chloe.

Tell us a joke.

Two cannibals were eating a clown when one turned to the other and said does he taste funny to you?

If you were creating a moodboard to sum up your own style and your favourite references, what would feature in it?

I guess at the moment I'm quite influenced by 70's clothing, long skirts with long coats and muted colours and lots of wool. I also like wearing really big clothes, like a loose long dress with a baggy jumper, kind of a tomboy influence but with quite girly items. One of my favourite looks in the AW 10 shows was the heavy jumpers over cocktail dresses in the Marc Jacobs show. I like that kind of contrast because it seems practical and funny. Probably one of my favourite images in terms of styling is a still I took from the Boyz II Men video for End Of The Road, where they're all wearing matching anoraks is different colours.

What are your guilty pleasures?

Jason Derulo, Night Cops, Murder mystery programmes.

You have a frugal approach after my own heart when it comes to buying clothes, how much would you say you spend on clothes each month?

I've had a few people comment my blog asking if I'm lying about how much my clothes cost. I used to buy about 4 or 5 items per week on Portobello, which would only come to about £10/15, but I had to stop because it got to a point where I had too many clothes. My Mum thinks I have a shopping addiction, I guess she's right, when it gets to the point that you can walk into Marks and Spencer and almost buy more than 10 things you've got to realise somethings up.

Do you wear perfume?

Some times I wear Daisy by Marc Jacobs but I'm quite weird about smell, I don't really want my smell to be something that's noticeable.

A couple of songs you’re listening to at the moment?

Under the Boardwalk- Tom Tom Club

Baby Talk- Alisha

It's Your Conscience- Deniece Williams

Kickin' It with Your Girlfriend- R. Kelly

You produced a really awesome zine and an even more awesome plastic multipocket backpack for college, what do you see yourself doing in the future or are you a fingers in lots of pies kind of a girl?

I want to be the head stylist on the X Factor. I think I would be really good. I've planned outfits for all of them already; I think Cher would look cute in a Michael Van Der Ham dress, Rebecca would wear 501's, a grey T-shirt and Celine wedges. The boy band are beyond repair but I think Matt could look good in a polo neck.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Last night was a brilliant New Years for me. Probably because as usual the idea of staying in with Jools Holland, a homecooked meal and a bottle of wine was far more appealing, so that luckily when my friends wouldn't take no for an answer and I was persuaded to go out my expectations weren't actually that high. We ended up going to the genius if rather distastefully named Barrymore's Pool Party (fellow Brits will understand the reference to Michael Barrymore, a much loved but sadly disgraced figure in television..) which fortunately didn't involve bathing suits or any real pool party-ness but instead lots of enthusiastic dancing to Senorita by Justin Timberlake. Having everybody home from our first semesters at University there was a cosy sense of homecoming and it was lovely to catch up with everyone and hear about their 'new lives' in other cities. As I was feeling pretty laid back about going out I kept my outfit simple- a shirt which I bought in San Diego and haven't really worn since, with my green cord trousers, some chunky heels (which look remarkably similar to the type the cool girls used to wear at school) and my name hairband. As I get older the idea of really dressing up to go out isn't as appealing as it used to be-I think it's easier to have more fun when you feel fuss-free.

How did you all spend your New Years Eve? Would love to hear some brief descriptions. Here's to 2011!

Ever read something on this blog that touched you, made you guffaw, or that you passed onto a friend because you thought they might like it? If so, would you like to buy me a coffee to enjoy whilst I write?